State Championship Week: Dakotas Pick Em’ & Key Players to Watch
In this article:
DAKOTAS- This weekend is a massive weekend when it comes to high school football in the Dakotas. With this article for the Prep Redzone Dakotas subscribers, we give out our 11 picks for each state championship game across the Dakotas. Not…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingDAKOTAS- This weekend is a massive weekend when it comes to high school football in the Dakotas. With this article for the Prep Redzone Dakotas subscribers, we give out our 11 picks for each state championship game across the Dakotas. Not only that, but we give you 89 players to watch that we have watched plenty of film on that in our eyes, will be impact players to hopefully lead their teams to a high school football player’s dream, to be crowned a state champion. I hope you enjoy the festivities, as I too will be in attendance at the North Dakota State Football Championship games this Friday at the FargoDome, where I will have live coverage from Friday on our Twitter (@PrepRedzoneDAK) and plenty of write-ups to come about each game I watched in Fargo!
Did you know?: Dakotas State Championship Edition
North Dakota: The FargoDome in Fargo, North Dakota will be the host to all four divisions on Friday. North Dakota plays their state championship games all on Friday starting with 9-man, 11B, 11A and then closing out with the grand finale, or this year I am coining it
“The West Fargo Bowl” in 11AA.
South Dakota: The Dakota Dome in Vermillion, South Dakota will have the kickoff party for both states as they start with the 9-man state championship games on Thursday starting with 9B, 9A, and then at night with 9AA. Friday will be very similar to Thursday in South Dakota, with 11B, 11A, 11AA. The grand finale between Brandon Valley and Harrisburg will take place on Saturday night at 7:30.
It’s Time for the Prep Redzone Dakotas Pick Em’, State Championship Edition
With hours and hours of film watching for now over a year now with Prep Redzone Dakotas, with watching just about all of these teams & players, we unleash our picks for the state championship finals across the Dakotas. (And yes, you can poke plenty of fun at me when I become wrong wherever that might be!) Let’s start with the analytics from my picks this year:
11-Man: 13-5 (72%)
9-Man: 5-1 (83%)
Fun Fact: These will be my first picks of the season in the state of North Dakota, so with a 0-0 record on the season, it will be really awesome to figure out where we stand vs. South Dakota at the end of the season.
North Dakota
LaMoure/Litchville-Marion (12-0) vs. Cavalier (14-0) 9:00 AM, Friday
My Prediction: LaMoure/Litchville-Marion
Key Players to Watch:
LLM: Colton Ness Colton Ness 6'1" | 190 lbs | TE LaMoure-Litchville-Marion | 2023 State , WR/DB (2023), Brady Lettenmaier, RB (2023), Corban Potts, QB (2022)
Cavalier: Brysen Cleem, QB (2022), Trevor Hinkle, LB/WR (2022), Jacob Steele LB/RB (2023)
Kindred (11-1) vs. Hillsboro/Central Valley (11-1), Noon, Friday
My Prediction: Hillsboro/Central Valley
Key Players to Watch:
Kindred: Max McQuillian, QB/DB (2022), Trey Heinrich, RB/LB (2023), Ty Roesler, LB/RB (2022)
HCV: Jack Paulsrud Jack Paulsrud 6'0" | 185 lbs | LB Hillsboro-Central Valley | 2022 State , LB/TE (2022), Jace Leshuk, RB/LB (2022), Riley Olsen Riley Olsen 5'10" | 190 lbs | QB Hillsboro/Central Valley | 2023 State , QB/DB (2023), Cole Hebl Cole Hebl LB Hillsboro/Central Valley | 2023 State , FB/LB (2023)
Jamestown (9-2) vs. Bismarck St Marys (10-1), 2:30 PM, Friday
My Prediction: Bismarck St Marys
Key Players to Watch:
Jamestown: Adam Kallenbach DB/WR (2022), Payton Hochhalter Payton Hochhalter 6'2" | 190 lbs | QB Jamestown | 2023 State QB (2023), Colton Mewes LB/TE (2023)
BSM: Isaac Felche, LB/RB (2022), Brit Senftner Brit Senftner 6'3" | 190 lbs | LB Bismarck St. Marys | 2022 State , DB/WR (2022), Nate Fedorchak, WR (2022)
West Fargo (9-2) vs. West Fargo Sheyenne (11-0), 6:30 PM, Friday
My Prediction: West Fargo Sheyenne
Key Players to Watch:
WF: Carson Hegerle Carson Hegerle 6'4" | 185 lbs | WR West Fargo | 2022 State , WR/DB (2022), Josh Balstad Josh Balstad 6'0" | 205 lbs | LB West Fargo | 2023 State , LB/FB (2023), Parker Nelson Parker Nelson 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB West Fargo | 2022 State , RB/DB (2022), Caden Zepeda DB/WR (2022), Dorien Tarley, RB/DB (2022)
WFS: Matt Treib Matt Treib LB West Fargo Shyenne | 2022 State , LB/FB (2022), Karter Menz Karter Menz 6'5" | 215 lbs | DL West Fargo Sheyenne | 2023 State WR/DE (2023), Josh Henricks, FB/LB (2022), Brennan Sellheim Brennan Sellheim 6'3" | 285 lbs | OL West Fargo Sheyenne | 2022 State OL/DL (2022), Grant Warkenthien Grant Warkenthien QB West Fargo Sheyenne | 2022 State , QB/DB (2022), Kaden Rahr, RB/LB (2023)
South Dakota
Potter County (10-2) vs. Dell Rapids St Mary (7-3), 10:00 AM, Thursday
My Prediction: Dell Rapids St. Mary
Key Players to Watch:
PC: Grant Luikens, QB/DB (2022), Cooper Logan, RB/LB (2022), Colt Wieseler, ATH (2022)
DRSM: John Pica, G/LB (2022), Nic Gaspar, RB/OLB (2024), CJ Smith CJ Smith 5'11" | 160 lbs | QB Dell Rapids St Marys | 2023 State , QB/DB (2023), Gabriel Lindeman, ATH (2023)
Herreid-Selby Area (12-0) vs.Howard (11-0), 2:00 PM, Thursday
My Prediction: Herreid-Selby Area
Key Players to Watch:
HSA: Brenden Begeman Brenden Begeman 6'2" | 195 lbs | RB Herreid/Selby | 2023 State , RB/DB (2023), Trey Sayler Trey Sayler LB Herreid/Selby | 2022 State , LB/FB (2022), Trevor Gill, DB/TE (2024), Chance Gregg Chance Gregg 6'2" | 245 lbs | DL Herreid/Selby | 2022 State , OL/DL (2022), Trevor Sayler Trevor Sayler 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB Herreid/Selby | 2022 State AL LB/TE (2022)
Howard: Jace Sifore Jace Sifore 6'4" | 270 lbs | DL Howard | 2022 State , DE/TE (2022), John Callies, FB/LB (2022), Karsyn Feldhaus FB/CB (2024), Taiden Hoyer, QB/DB (2024),
Canistota-Freeman (7-4) vs. Platte-Geddes (9-2), 7:00 PM, Thursday
My Prediction: Platte-Geddes
Key Players to Watch:
CF: Noah Kleinsasser Noah Kleinsasser 6'0" | 175 lbs | RB Canistota-Freeman | 2023 State , RB/LB (2023), Tage Ortman Tage Ortman 5'11" | 160 lbs | QB Canistota-Freeman | 2024 State SD , QB (2024), Isiah Robertson, RB/DB (2022), Will Ortman, WR (2023)
PG: Grayson Hanson Grayson Hanson LB Platte-Geddes | 2022 State , OLB/RB (2022)– Hanson is for sure the “it” factor in this game. As the leader of the Black Panthers, and having an outstanding year even with injuries all around him he has shown why all year he’s one of the most prominent players in 9-man football in South Dakota on both sides of the football.
Bridgewater-Emery-Ethan (8-3) vs. Winner (11-0), 10:00 AM Friday
My Prediction: Winner
Key Players to Watch:
Winner: Riley Orel Riley Orel RB Winner | 2023 State , RB/DB (2023), Kaden Keiser Kaden Keiser DB Winner | 2022 State , RB/DB (2022), Joey Cole, DE (2022), Aiden Barfuss Aiden Barfuss 5'11" | 195 lbs | RB Winner | 2024 State SD , RB (2024)
BEE: Koby Kayser Koby Kayser 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB BEE | 2022 State RB/LB (2022), Kaden Klumb Kaden Klumb QB Bridgewater-Emery | 2022 State , QB (2022), Aguer VanSickle Aguer VanSickle 6'4" | 235 lbs | LB Bridgewater-Emery-Ethan | 2023 State , LB/TE (2023), Sam Hofer, FS (2023)
Milbank (8-3) vs. Madison (11-0), 2:00 PM Friday
My Prediction: Madison
Key Players to Watch:
Milbank: Kaden Krause, QB (2022), Marshall Voeltz Marshall Voeltz WR Belle Fourche | 2022 State , RB/LB (2022), Connor Bender Connor Bender LB Milbank | 2022 State , T/MLB (2022)
Madison: Nate Ricke Nate Ricke QB Madison | 2022 State , QB (2022), Trey Smith, LB, RB, K (2022), Bruce Galde, RB/LB (2023), Dillon Bickett, WR/DB (2022), Cam Buchholz, DL/OL (2022)
Tea Area (11-0) vs. Pierre (9-2), 7:30 PM Friday
My Prediction: Pierre
Key Players to Watch:
Pierre: Lincoln Kienholz Lincoln Kienholz 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Pierre | 2023 State , QB (2023), Jack Merkwan Jack Merkwan 6'3" | 180 lbs | WR Pierre | 2023 State , WR (2023), Trey Lewis, RB (2024), Christian Busch Christian Busch 6'4" | 250 lbs | OL Pierre | 2023 State , Guard (2023), Jacob Mayer, Safety (2023)
Tea: Chase Van Tol, RB/LB (2023), Klayton Sattler, WR/TE (2022), Jaxon Weber Jaxon Weber ATH Tea Area | 2022 State , RB/CB (2022), Reis Kirschenman Reis Kirschenman 6'4" | 245 lbs | DL Tea Area | 2023 State , DE (2023), Cael Lundin, QB (2022), Thomas Ostrem Thomas Ostrem 6'4" | 265 lbs | OL Tea Area | 2022 State , DE/T (2022)
Brandon Valley (10-1) vs. Harrisburg (11-0), 7:30 PM Saturday
My Prediction: Harrisburg
Key Players to Watch:
H-Burg: Jacob Knuth Jacob Knuth 6'4" | 205 lbs | QB Harrisburg | 2022 State , QB (2022), Carter Bahrenfuss Carter Bahrenfuss DB Harrisburg | 2022 State DB/WR (2022), Lincoln Carlson, WR (2022), Cade Larson Cade Larson LB Harrisburg | 2022 State , LB (2022), Tyman Long Tyman Long 6'1" | 190 lbs | LB Harrisburg | 2022 State , LB (2022), Gavin Ross Gavin Ross 5'11" | 205 lbs | RB Harrisburg | 2023 State , RB (2023), Andrew Walter Andrew Walter 6'3" | 180 lbs | WR Harrisburg | 2022 State , WR (2022), Mason Jacobson Mason Jacobson 6'5" | 270 lbs | OL Harrisburg | 2022 State , OL/DL (2022)
BV: Noah Thompson Noah Thompson 6'1" | 170 lbs | DB Brandon Valley | 2022 State , DB/ATH (2022), Peyton Carroll Peyton Carroll 6'4" | 195 lbs | TE Brandon Valley | 2022 State , WR/TE (2022), Brady Koupal Brady Koupal OL Brandon Valley | 2022 State , OL (2022), Ryan Doll Ryan Doll 6'0" | 200 lbs | DL Brandon Valley | 2022 State , OLB (2022), Jordan Johnson Jordan Johnson 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Brandon Valley | 2022 State , RB (2022), Lucas Slack Lucas Slack 6'1" | 190 lbs | QB Brandon Valley | 2023 State , QB (2022), Sam Scholten Sam Scholten 6'0" | 160 lbs | WR Brandon Valley | 2022 State , WR (2022), Navarro Schunke Navarro Schunke 6'6" | 290 lbs | OL Brandon Valley | 2024 State SD , OL (2024), Jack Thue, QB (2024)